yeah they look good don't they. Not too many people seem to mention them though ive noticed! good to see them getting a mention anyway! will be sure to check their page again soon! want to see dome rockets soon from the teams so i can get an idea of the sizes of these things!

I like ARCA's team effort. They show what can be achieved with a relatively small nation's technology. They have built lots of hardware and their latest engine tests are going well. By the way Romania has an interesting rocket tradition. They show that you don't have to be from North America, or Russia to go to space.

A big problem is that their launch site is frozen during winter and they can't access it. Maybe they should check out Brazil's Alcantara site.

Another small team I like is De Leon's from Argentina. He's got lots less advancement but he has done things. You can't imagine how hard any aerospace research is in South America (save for Brazil of course), so I'm impressed he made a functioning space suit (maybe he'll sell it to ARCA so they don't have to rent G suits anymore, or maybe to Starchaser). I think De Leon and ARCA have some sort of connection. Maybe going back to the days of Argentina's late Condor missile program. I think Rommania (and Irak) was interested in that missile. (In Chile we were certainly interested! But not in a nice way)

A big problem is that their launch site is frozen during winter and they can't access it.

i don't think it's a problem more funding/a more prepared launch site and infrastructure wouldn't solve, after all romania is a south-eastern european country. baikonur in russia (kazakstan) is about at 45°37' N latitude, i don't know exactly where in romania ARCA's launch site is but romania itself is roughly between 43° and 48° N latitude (as a comparison the only permanent launch site in norway is at about 69° N latitude on a coastal island with the northern norwegian sea (part of the northern atlantic) washing against its cliffs)

A big problem is that their launch site is frozen during winter and they can't access it.

i don't think it's a problem more funding/a more prepared launch site and infrastructure wouldn't solve, after all romania is a south-eastern european country. baikonur in russia (kazakstan) is about at 45°37' N latitude, i don't know exactly where in romania ARCA's launch site is but romania itself is roughly between 43° and 48° N latitude (as a comparison the only permanent launch site in norway is at about 69° N latitude on a coastal island with the northern norwegian sea (part of the northern atlantic) washing against its cliffs)

They have reported problems because sometimes they actually can't get to their site because of mud and stuff, so it must be pretty rustic. I understand the site was a donation so I suppose it's good enough for a start up. As soon as they have actuall rockets in the air (and paying customers) thay can go shopping for beter real state. They have overcome bigger hurdles like coming up with a rocket company out of almost nothing (save for a lot of brainpower).

In the german fore I formerly have spoken of I said that they are one of those few teams missing the advantages of a country having a relatively well performing economy with normal government debth and used to markets.

They are working under very difficult circumstances and i wish them to have at least one successful launch and no destruction of a vehicle.

They might be one of the important hopes of Romania. Even if they don't win the XPRIZE (they won't) another foundation, institution or federation should get them a prize for innovatorship, for being pioneers - for giving an example to others in getting the future. Such people are needed for Romania having a future - they are real entrepreneurs.

ARCA's website worked just fine for me; don't know any German so if anybody has a translation it would be great to post it.
I think they are one of the biggest surprise in the contest given the budget and the resources they are able to use. On 8th September they'll launch the Demonstrator2...I don't think they'll be able to compete with SS1 but who would have thought a small, underfunded team could do that?
It's encouraging for the human race to see that it's not all about money...passion, dedication and inteligence still drive us around.